Display device



E. D. M U NSON DISPLAY DEVICE Sci. 23, 1956 Filed March 5, 1954 FIGS FIG-2 3nn entor EYERIS D MUNSON attorney United States Patent DISPLAY DEVICE Everis D. Munson, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Brown & I Bigelow, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application March 3, 1954, Serial No. 413,739 I Claims. c1. 40-120 This invention relates to a display device which is adapted to be made out of plastic and so designed that the entire device may be made in a single piece, with portions thereof removable so that the same may be at-' tached to the body to support the same in a display position.

A feature resides in forming the display with members adapted to provide shoes for supporting the body of the display. These shoes are formed integral with'the body and connected therewith by thin small webs or sprues. The supporting shoes may be radially broken away from the body of the display and separated from each other, whereupon the shoes can be inserted in slots formed in the body and when so attached to the body, will act as shoes to rigidly support the body in a backwardly inclined position, or the shoes may be inserted and attached to the body to provide rocker elements on the bottom of the body which will permit the display to rock on said shoe means.

It is a feature to provide a display formed in an econorn'ical manner with the supporting shoe means molded in an integral piece with the body and lying in a virtually flat plane with the body of the display, but being readily accessible so that the shoes may be broken away from the body and then attached to the bottom of the display. This feature of the invention is important, because it permits the display to be packed in a flat container for shipment, mailing, or storage.

When the recipient of this display, which may ordinarily be used to support the calendar pad on the face thereof and which is provided with space for indicia as associated with the calendar pad which is not shown in the drawings, receives said display, said recipient can break the shoes away from the body and use them as support means for the body of the display.

It is also a feature of primary importance to provide a display wherein the recipient can select the mode in which he wishes the display to be used. For instance, if the recipient wishes to have the display supported on the rockers of the shoes, he may do so. However, if the recipient wishes the displays to stand rigid, this may readily be accomplished by attaching the shoes in a reverse position to that where the rocker surfaces are employed.

A further feature resides in providing a display wherein when the supporting shoes are removed from the body, an opening is provided so that the recipient may push the lower free edge of the calendar pad swiftly so as to permit the readily removal of the top sheet thereof.

This display lends itself particularly to desk calendars and similar articles which may be supported upon a desk when desired.

These features and all the details and objects herein provided will be fully and clearly hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure l is a front view of the display device showing the same formed in a single piece of plastic material with the supporting shoes integrally connected with the body by frangible webs or sprues.

Figure 2 is a front view of the display with the shoes removed from the body and attached to the bottom thereof so as to support the display on the rocker surfaces of the shoes.

Figure 3 is a side view of the display showing the rocker surfaces of the shoes supporting the same, with the body in an inclined backward position, and free to rock in the direction of the arrows at the top of the free edge of the display.

Figure 4 illustrates a side view of one of the shoes removed.

Figure 5 illustrates a top edge view looking along the straight surface of the supporting shoe.

Figure 6 is a rear view of said display showing the supporting shoes integrally formed with the body and positioned in an oval-like opening in the body.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a side view of the display with the supporting shoes attached to the body of the display with the straight edge resting upon the surface supporting the display, and the rocker edge arcuated upward.

The display A is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 with the body portion 10 inclined backwardly as illustrated in Figure 3 when the same is supported by the rocker shoes 11. c 1

The display A is adapted to be formed in a single piece of plastic material which is injection molded with the rocker shoes 11 connected integrally by the webs or sprues 12 and 13. The sprues 12 connect the shoes 11 to the body 10 at one end thereof, While the sprues 13 connect the shoes 11 centrally between their ends, and the sprues are adapted to hold the shoes spaced apart from each other while integrally connected with the body 10.

The supporting shoes 11 are adapted to be spaced within an oval-like opening 14 formed in the body 10. When the shoes 11 are removed or broken away from the body 10 by breaking the sprues 12, the oval-like opening 14 remains in the body as illustrated in Figure 2 and is normally adapted to be covered by a display which is attached to the integral lugs 15 projecting from the face of the body 10. These lugs 15 normally display a calendar pad which covers the opening 14 but which is not shown in the drawings.

The shoes 11 are formed with channels 16 in one side thereof, and a marginal flange 17 is formed around each of the shoes 11 which is adapted to strengthen the shoe and to increase the width of the bearing surfaces of the shoes. The channels 16 are adapted to engage within the recesses 18 formed in the bottom edge of the body of the displays to attach the shoes 11 in a manner to support the body 10 normally in a backwardly inclined angle when viewing the display from the front.

The supporting shoes 11 are formed with a straight surface 19 and a rocker surface 20. The purpose of the surfaces 19 and 20 are for supporting the body of the display A either rigidly or in a manner so that the same will rock when the display is supported. In Figure 3 the rocker surface 20 is adapted to rest upon the surface supporting the display A. When the supporting shoes 11 are attached to the body 10 of the display in this manner, a slight draft of air against the body 10 of the display will cause the display to rock back and forth, whereas, when the supporting shoes 11 are attached to the body 10 in a reverse position to that illustrated in Figure 3, such as in Figure 9, the body A is held rigid and against rocking.

It will, therefore, be apparent that the recipient of the display A has the choice of mounting the body 10 either on the rocker surface 29 of the shoes 11 or on the straight edge 19. The operation of attaching the shoes 10 is simple and may be easily and quickly made when the recipient of the display A secures the same. The display A may be shipped, mailed, or delivered to the re cipient fiat as illustrated in Figures 1 and 6 with the shoes 11 integrally connected to the body 10. The body of the display normally supports a calendar pad on the legs 15 which cover the opening 14 when the shoes are removed or any suitable display may be attached .to the front surface, in addition to the calendar indicia display (which is not illustrated in the drawings). A surface 21 is provided on the face of the display for any other printed or otherwise illustrated indicia to make the display A of an attractive nature.

The display -A is economical .to make, owing .to .the integral design of the body and the supporting shoes, and .is light in weight so that it can readily be mailed individually or shipped in bulk without appreciable cost. These features are of primary importance for an article of this character. In the ordinary process of distribution of these displays they may be purchased by anyone and then ,given away so that the features heretofore set forth areimportant in the practical use and distribution of these displays.

I claim:

1. A display formed of plastic material including a body display portion, a pair of severable supporting shoe means formed integrally with saiddisplay having rocker edges and straight supporting edges, angularly disposed straight slot means formed in said shoe means extending from said rocker edges to said straight edges adapted to receive said body display portion from either edge, said shoes providing rocker means for supporting said display when attached to the same in one position, and forming rigid supporting means when said shoes are attached in another position to said body.

2. A display having an elliptical opening formed therein, detachable display supporting means sprue connected within said opening in the body of said display and lying in substantially the same plane as the surface of said display, said supporting means having an arcuated edge and an opposed straight edge, and a straight slot connecting said edges providing shoe means whichare adapted to be disengaged from said body and attached to the bottom 4 of the body of said display to support the same either rigidly inclined backwardly or inclined on an arcuated rocker surface means which permits the display to rock back and forth when a draft of air strikes the same.

3. A display device including a body formed of plastic material, means for supporting said body formed integral therewith and normally extending in substantially the same plane as said body, said supporting means being removable from said body, a straight edge formed on one side of said supporting means and an arcuated edge formed on the other side thereof to selectively support the body'of said display device either in a rigid inclined position'or on said arcuated edge of'said supporting means and slot-means formed on said body and on said support ing means extending from said straight edge to said arcuated edge in a straight line cooperating to connect said supporting means to said body in the manner selected.

4. The combination of a display body, said body having an opening therein receiving shoe means connected to the body by frangible webs, said shoe means having marginal reinforcing flanges extending around the same, said body having slot means on one of its edges, and said shoe.

means having inclined slots for receiving portions of said body adjacent the slots in said body for holding said body in an inclined position when said shoe means are detached from said body and associated therewith as a support means.

5. A display formed with an opening therein, detachable display support means formed within said opening connected to said display by frangible sprues, a transversely disposed channel formed in said support means, and recesses formed in said display perimetrically engageable about said channel in said support means thereby providing a base for said display.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 326,241 Preston Sept. 15, 1885 698,838 Imhof Apr. 29, 1902 1,386,469 Gomoll Aug. 2, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS 661,655 France -s Mar. 11,1939

906,587 France Jan.f14, 1946 

